Remove AI assistant

[Jopp-gh]

Problem

Your last update (version 12.6.5.0) introduced an AI assistant in the chat input field.
I'm against modern keyloggers called: AI (assistants). Please remove this "bug" from the program.

Workaround

In the settings we can hide AI but that's just a "placebo" and this doesn't address the issue or resolve something. I'm feeling uncomfortable to have these features integrated.

Solution

Could you please remove this patronising, spybot AI stuff? I won't use it ever and don't want it: not now, not ever.

Fork client: 12.6.5.0

[23rd]

Can you tell more about "keylogger"? What do you mean with that name?

[Jopp-gh]

AI needs to read our text to suggest changes.

I don't want anything integrated, able to scan or read the text I type.

No matter if I've to tab to confirm AI assistance, already the integration of AI (not just the button in our text input field) is a possible door for "keyloggers". I don't want this possibility.

Users need to control and decide for or against AI. This right must be taken seriously instead to give us just a "hide button".

[23rd]

The AI Editor does NOT read your text while you type.

The button visibility is determined by a simple line count check:

https://github.com/drklo/telegram/blob/dfc9dbca4bdf0353321f2f6afe4b260e80204bc2/TMessagesProj/src/main/java/org/telegram/ui/Components/ChatActivityEnterView.java#L5331-L5332

https://github.com/drklo/telegram/blob/dfc9dbca4bdf0353321f2f6afe4b260e80204bc2/TMessagesProj/src/main/java/org/telegram/ui/Components/ChatActivityEnterView.java#L5728-L5729

lineCount > 2 && aiEditorAvailable() && !TextUtils.isEmpty(text)

This is a basic integer comparison — the same way Telegram checks line count to resize the input field. No text content is analyzed, scanned, or transmitted at this point.

When does text leave your device? Only when you:

1. Tap the AI button (opens AIEditorAlert dialog)
2. Select an action (Translate / Rephrase / Proofread)

At step 2, TL_messages_composeMessageWithAI (AIEditorAlert.java, line 724) sends your text to Telegram's servers. This is the only server call — there is no background scanning.

https://github.com/DrKLO/Telegram/blob/dfc9dbca4bdf0353321f2f6afe4b260e80204bc2/TMessagesProj/src/main/java/org/telegram/ui/Components/AIEditorAlert.java#L724

With the button hidden (hideAiEditor setting in Forkgram), the code path that opens AIEditorAlert is never reached. The line count check still runs (it's used for input field resizing regardless of AI), but no AI-related code executes.

To summarize: hiding the button is not a "placebo" — it fully prevents any AI-related code from executing. The feature has no background component, no passive text analysis, and no telemetry. It is a button that opens a dialog, nothing more.

I understand the discomfort with AI features for you, but the "keylogger" characterization is not supported by the source code. You're welcome to verify — all relevant code is in AIEditorAlert.java and ChatActivityEnterView.java, both fully open source.

[Jopp-gh]

Thanks for your time to investigate!

The AI Editor does NOT read your text while you type.(…)

The line count check still runs (it's used for input field resizing regardless of AI), but no AI-related code executes.(…)

To summarize: hiding the button is not a "placebo" — it fully prevents any AI-related code from executing (…)

Good to know! So, hiding the AI button isn't just a gimmick, but actually useful.

I'm just alerted, because a fork should be in my opinion, more user centric / privacy friendly, thus include some protection for the user when it comes to invasive technology, since that is today's trend with data.

Chat applications and any other app supporting keyboard input needs an extra layer to protect users privacy, in my humble opinion.

I understand the discomfort with AI features for you, but the "keylogger" characterization is not supported by the source code.

Yes, I picked a strong definition to highlight my discomfort towards AI.
What we write may be confidential: this has the same value of a passphrase or similar, so I'm not too far away from my definition.

Nowadays, beautifully packaged, comfortable features fool many careless common users to lose their rights gradually. Saying nothing, means to agree.

Since I can't investigate myself this code of your fork and blaming hits most of the time the wrong people, I would be very happy, if you could remove the AI part in this code, even if it's just a simple call to a dedicated server.
The official version of telegram can add any feature they want, therefore I did the switch to this fork.
Less features, more usability: men to control machine and never the opposite in any kind of form.
Sorry for my long post 😓

[23rd]

I respect your position on privacy, and I'm glad the investigation helped clarify how the feature works.

However, I can't remove the AI Editor code entirely. There are users of this fork who actively use this feature and want to continue using it. Removing it would take away functionality that others rely on.

To reiterate the key point: even with the button visible and displayed, your text does NOT leave your device to any LLM. Not in the official Telegram client, not in Forkgram, and not in any other fork — as long as they remain open source and verifiable. The text is only sent when you explicitly tap the button and select an action. The button being present in the UI is not a data transmission.

The current approach — a toggle to hide the button — gives both sides what they need: users who want AI editing can use it, and users who don't want it can fully disable it with no AI-related code executing on their device.

I believe this is the right balance. I'll keep the hide option maintained and working.

I hope this detailed explanation will also help address any similar concerns from other people in the future.

[Jopp-gh]

To reiterate the key point: even with the button visible and displayed, your text does NOT leave your device to any LLM

Absolutely fine. My point is, AI shouldn't be there.

However, I can't remove the AI Editor code entirely. There are users of this fork who actively use this feature and want to continue using it.

I see and understand you too.
Privacy should be at hearth to conscious citizen who value rights in this digital Cage of today, as rights are only an annoyance fighting information trade.

For those who need AI because of comfort, why are they even here??
Why are people happy with AI unhappy with the official app? Understanding this! is for me at least, completely out of reach. Open source should be an alternative, not an addition of some features (also nice, but not the point, imo).

Downgrading wouldn't help me for long, internet apps need constant maintenance to be safe to use.

The current approach — a toggle to hide the button — gives both sides what they need

Agreed, this is however the introduction of AI and the point of my objection. Development always goes further over time.
AI isn't my thing, this really bugs me, a lot.

I respect your position on privacy, and I'm glad the investigation helped clarify how the feature works

Maybe you could add a button to block AI completely, if this feature goes over board in future (For users, who disagree with this feature) .

Thanks again for explaining to me and to send me this kindly and detailed feedback.

[githubtefo]

Yes please please add an option to remove this AI button 💯

Another good reason to disable this feature: it starts asking for premiuim after a certain amount of tokens, being more like a subscription based one rather than a general audience benefit.

[nouritsu]

this issue should be closed.

removal of an entire feature tree just because it makes you uncomfortable is simply not how open source works. if you believe the ai shouldn't be there fork the client and remove it yourself.

[Jopp-gh]

@nouritsu
You reduce my talk to a "personal feeling" and detail instead to understand what implications AI has and what stance open source in general has towards AI. Also, can't you see where AI is heading to in real world?

Finally, open source "cuts the crap" - if you wanna understand. I'm sure, often people don't wanna understand, don't want discussions, just kill other arguments. Not because of idealism but deliberately. Only business works this way: elbow politics. No alternatives allowed.

So your comment is ignoring everything I say, bows up a detail to get rid of unwanted voices.

I repeat again what I wrote some lines above:
For those who need AI because of comfort, why are they even here???

Get the official app today, nobody holds you up! 🎉

[nouritsu]

if you believe the ai shouldn't be there fork the client and remove it yourself

[slvlng]

The current approach — a toggle to hide the button — gives both sides what they need: users who want AI editing can use it, and users who don't want it can fully disable it with no AI-related code executing on their device.

But hiding the button alone does not disable the AI features. The AI Editor still triggers under several conditions when typing, you just can't see it... is that right?

Honestly, all these AI features only slow down the client. There's no need to remove them, but it would be nice if the AI features could be entirely disabled (if it's not too much work) so the AI code doesn't trigger anymore, just to save resources.

[23rd]

only slow down the client

How does it do?

As I wrote earlier:

This is a basic integer comparison

[23rd]

I get the impression that you don't understand what you're talking about at all and are just dismissing it all as "black magic".

Even after I added a feature for you to disable the button, you’re still unhappy.

I explained to you as clearly as possible, with examples and snippets of source code, exactly what this is, how it works, and how it’s triggered. — And yet people still come and complain just for the sake of complaining.

Please read the comments I wrote above. If you feel like you didn’t understand something, then reread them. If you still don’t understand, ask someone who knows what I'm talking about to read this text and explain it to you.

Why can’t adult and thinking people grasp the simplest logic?

[slvlng]

I explained to you as clearly as possible, with examples and snippets of source code, exactly what this is, how it works, and how it’s triggered. — And yet people still come and complain just for the sake of complaining.

Have you confused me with OP?

Please read the comments I wrote above. If you feel like you didn’t understand something, then reread them. If you still don’t understand, ask someone who knows what I'm talking about to read this text and explain it to you.

No need to be rude, mate... I'm not a coder. Did you miss the question mark in my comment?